Several St. Boniface Hospital operating rooms are closed after a malfunction in the facility’s air handling system.
Patients with scheduled procedures will be affected for the rest of the week with the surgical suites expected to again be operational by end of day Friday.
Patients impacted will be contacted with details of an alternate schedule. Of the 14 procedure rooms at St. Boniface five suites remain open for emergency surgeries.
“Additional capacity for many of these cases is available in other hospitals throughout the region and we are grateful to the surgery program and to all of our sites for moving quickly to accommodate the needs of patients in a timely and efficient manner,” Krista Williams, Chief Health Operations Officer with the WRHA said in a release.
“Emergency surgeries, both for cardiac patients and other emergency procedures, will continue to be available at St. Boniface for the remainder of the week.”
St. Boniface Hospital is working with other sites across the city to accommodate 16 scheduled surgeries Wednesday and Thursday in order for those procedures to take place at other hospitals. Another 12 surgeries, including some elective cardiac procedures, were postponed and will be rescheduled as soon as possible.
The WRHA says operating room staff from St. Boniface will be deployed to other hospitals throughout the region where the procedures are being done in order to promote continuity of care for patient.
“We recognize that delays of scheduled surgeries are stressful for patients and their families. Repairs to the air handling system are underway, any affected surgeries will be rescheduled as quickly as possible once repairs have been completed,” said Williams.